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Microsoft has announced that Windows 8.1 will be arriving on October 17th (well, in the US, anyway), confirming an earlier rumor of a mid-month launch. For some reason, the company's specified an exact release time of 12am on October 18th in New Zealand, which is 4am PT or 7am ET on October 17th. At that time, the free update will begin rolling out across local Windows Stores, and will be available "at retail and on new devices" from the 18th onwards, depending on your region. Check out our hands-on and subsequent coverage for an idea of what to expect from the update.

Thought the Surface RT's $150 price drop was enticing? Hold on to your wallet: Microsoft's at it again. Over the weekend, Redmond quietly took $100 off of both its 64 and 128GB Surface Pro slates, bringing their base prices to $799 and $899, respectively. According to the fine print, the discount will hold until August 29th, but we wouldn't be surprised to the sale drag on if it moves units.

"We've been seeing great worldwide success with Surface RT pricing and keyboard-cover promotions over the past several months and our proud to offer Surface Pro at more affordable prices starting today," a Microsoft spokesperson told Engadget. "People who buy Surface love Surface, and we're eager for more people to their hands on Surface and share their excitement." It's not a staggering price reduction, but it's certainly enough to make buyers on the fence raise an eyebrow. You can check out the slate's new sticker price at the adjacent source link, but don't rush yourself -- you've got almost a month, after all.

While it's not exactly our "first look" at Windows 8.1, Microsoft's put together an official preview video showing off several features of the OS update. If you caught our overview of what's coming in the next version, there isn't anything in the clip you won't know already -- in fact, the (sort of) return of the Start button isn't discussed at all, although it does briefly pop up on the screen of the Surface Pro used in the demo. You've been reading about it and inspecting screengrabs, but if an official video talkthrough is what you've been hankering for, there's four and a half minutes of just that waiting for you after the break.

We've already seen Sony take a stab at a Windows 8 hybrid in the form of the VAIO Duo 11, and now a clip has appeared on YouTube apparently showing an unannounced 13-inch Ultrabook slider with a 1080p Triluminos touchscreen display. Allegedly, the video is being used for training at UK retail chain Dixons, and in addition to repeatedly collapsing and opening the slim white and silver unit, the demonstrator plays around with a stylus in Microsoft's Fresh Paint. There are a couple of text overlays near the end of clip, highlighting the "SurfSlider design," backlit keyboard, ClearAudio+ and ActiveSleep tech, as well as its 10 hours of battery life. NFC is also said to be on board, along with an 8-megapixel camera with Exmor RS sensor, Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD. The incredibly grainy video is embedded after the break, and although we can't verify its authenticity, we also can't ally it to any known product.

Update: There's also a handful of press images -- we've included one after the break too.

You may know Nokia Music as the resident DJ on many WP8 handsets, and now the app's looking to play sets at some larger venues. It's popped up on the Windows Store for Windows 8 or RT hardware, and looks pretty similar to the WP8 version, albeit formatted for bigger screens. It doesn't just serve as a front-end for accessing your personal music library -- you'll also find artist info, genre-specific mixes for online streaming and offline listening, as well as the option to create mixes of your own. The software will push tunes to compatible smart TVs or DLNA-equipped kit, and you can plug in your Nokia Music+ subscription details or check out the free seven-day trial for some extra features: better quality songs, unlimited skips and offline mixes, as well as synced lyrics where available. Currently, the app is only available in Australia, the US, the UK and Ireland, but will be coming to everywhere Music+ has launched over the "coming weeks." Windows 8 or RT users can head to the source link for the download. If you need us, we'll be off memorizing Bieber lyrics.

MediaPortal 1.3 is throwing its hat in the air today after graduating from beta to full release status. The Titan skin intended for 1080p widescreen displays has made the final version with plug-in support, but don't worry if it doesn't fit your style or screen, as the default skins have also been refined. UI themes and settings can be easily modified for deeper personalization, and you can now highlight shows in the TV guide to better plan your evening's entertainment. Unencrypted Blu-Rays will work in the native player (with the right decoder) and several improvements have been made to video playback and the bundled codec library. MediaPortal settings can be configured more easily in 1.3 and the "My Videos" section has picked up some new features. Finally, 1.3 adds official Windows 8 support, although the team admits there may be some bugs that remain undiscovered. If MediaPortal is your HTPC software of choice, you might want to check out the complete changelog at the source link, where you'll also find installation instructions if you wanna cut straight to the hands-on.

With Books, Pads, Tabs, Fones and the intriguing Transformer AiO, we can only wonder what else ASUS has in the stockroom. Recently liberated from the warehouse are the VivoBook S500 and S550 -- they're the biggest of the new VivoBook range, with 15.6-inch, 1,366 x 768 displays supporting multitouch for prodding at Windows 8. The S500 comes in one configuration: 1.7GHz Core i5, 6GB RAM, Intel GMA HD GPU and a 500GB HDD with 24GB SSD for fast-booting Redmond's latest OS. Almost identical is the S550, which has Core i3 / i5 / i7 options, as well as an optical drive for "physical media," whatever that is. You can call an S500 your own for $699 and ASUS has kindly put a slim list of retailers stocking the notebooks on its product page, though we can only find the i5-laden S550 for circa $750. Amazon seems to have had both on sale since March 4th, but ASUS thought it'd leave it a week before issuing a minimalist PR, which you'll find below.

We've already heard about Windows RT's "modest" beginning, and now there's talk full-blown Windows 8 ain't flying off the shelves either. According to MS aficionado Paul Thurrott and one of his "most trusted sources," uptake of the new OS isn't hitting Redmond's targets, with the blame being put on OEMs and their "inability to deliver" more inspiring hardware with better availability. Some corroboration of Windows 8's tricky birth comes from Merle McIntosh, senior VP of product management of NewEgg, who says the online retailer was "prepared for an explosion" at launch, but that sales have "been slow going" to date. However, he says that early sales figures shouldn't be compared to Windows 7, since that OS arrived to "solve a Vista problem." He expects Windows 8 to gain traction in Q2 2013 when "pricing normalizes," which would certainly help to temper any launch frustrations.

Microsoft recently issued its "Security Bulletin Advance Notification" for this month, detailing which operating systems and software will be updated on November 13th. While many products are being addressed, including Office for Mac, newly released Windows 8 and RT are the most notable entries on the list. The first patches since they hit the market will fix "critical" issues which open them up to "remote code execution." Microsoft hasn't gone into specifics (obviously), but you can register for a webcast being held on the 14th (see source link) should you want enlightening. If you thought your fresh machine or slate was flawless, we're afraid to say it's just another member of the 'Patch Tuesday' club.

It's unusual, to say the least, for us to spend a year with a product before publishing our review. In the case of Windows 8, we've written thousands of words already, starting with our first hands-on in September of 2011, followed by deep dives on the Developer Preview, Consumer Preview, Release Preview and RTM build. Even our readers have had ample time to get acquainted with the OS -- it's been available as a public download since February. And yet, we've never tested a final version of the software running on brand new, made-for-Windows-8 hardware. With the OS now on sale (alongside dozens of new PCs), it's finally time for us to double back and revisit everything we've previously written in the form of a final, comprehensive review.

And what a challenging assignment this was: it's hard enough to give an OS the full review treatment without burying the reader in minute details. It's even tougher when the software was built for so many different kinds of hardware. Combining a traditional desktop with Windows Phone-inspired Live Tiles, Windows 8 was designed to be equally at home on traditional PCs and more finger-friendly devices, like tablets and hybrids. In addition to walking you through the operating system's various gestures and built-in apps, then, we'll spend some time talking about which form factors are best suited to this redesigned version of Windows. Read on to see what we found out.%Gallery-169482%

Nothing's nicer than a happy ending. Except maybe a happy beginning, which is precisely what you're looking at above -- Microsoft's new OS captured in all its glory within minutes of completing the installation. What's more, if you saw the first part of this upgrade diary, then you'll know I was aiming for a trickier-than-average setup, with Windows 8 Pro running on a brand new and untouched SSD, alongside Windows 7 Ultimate running in dual-boot mode on my old HDD. As it turned out, this configuration was a breeze -- so long as I totally ignored the Getting Started instructions that came in the box. Read on if you'd like to know more.

There were balloons. There were streamers. There were brand new Ultrabooks, members of staff unfurling banners, and -- once other customers started to arrive -- there was even a vibe of genuine excitement for today's official launch of Windows 8 in the UK. But whichever aisle I scanned, nowhere was to be found what I had come to buy: a Windows 8 disc for desktop upgraders. It was a faltering start, but it was also strangely symbolic of my mission -- namely, to explore what Microsoft's latest operating system can do for regular desktop folk. People who, in other words, aren't yet looking to invest in touch-enabled monitors or laptops or all-in-ones; who rarely get the chance to lean back with a media-consumption tablet; and who simply want to upgrade their traditional tower PC before getting on with their lives. Read on past the break and you can begin this potentially short, hopefully sweet journey with me, starting with a quick rundown of my test rig (which also happens to be my mission critical work computer) and an anti-climactic revelation about whether, in the end, I ever found the software box I was looking for.

That special moment has come which usually rolls around only once every three years: Microsoft has released a new version of Windows. For the version 8 update, though, the stakes are higher than ever. Redmond isn't just trying to convince legions of existing Windows users that they should break their PC update cycles. It's trying to reclaim a foothold in a tablet space that's now dominated by Apple and Google -- and it's dipping into self-designed computers for the first time with a Surface tablet that theoretically represents Microsoft's perfect vision. But how well is Windows 8 resonating with you? Did you download a copy as soon as the servers were warmed up, or do you see it as a calamity that restricts a perfectly good platform? Sound off in our poll and in the comments below.

Home theater PC enthusiasts weren't too thrilled when Microsoft announced that it was stripping Media Center and its codecs for DVD playback and broadcast TV from Windows 8 in favor of a paid add-on. The folks from Redmond are offering a temporary reprieve, in an effort to reward early adopters. Windows 8 Media Center Pack is for free to customers who purchase Windows 8 Pro... at least until January 31st 2013. This promo requires that you enter your product key at the company's website in order to receive your free upgrade. Sadly, when the discount period for Pro upgrades ends, so too does the ability to score Media Center for free. Microsoft never revealed the price for its Media Center Pack, only referring to it as "economical." While we appreciate affordable software, there's nothing more cost effective than a freebie.

[Thanks, Neal]

Update: As commenters (and tipsters) have pointed out, the Media Center upgrade is available to non-Pro users for $9.99 or €9.99, respectively. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

So you're finally getting that Surface tablet (or a Windows 8 PC of choice) and have decided that a basic weather app just won't do it justice. AccuWeather agrees with you -- after months of supporting the Windows 8 preview editions, it's formally launching a weather app that takes advantage of Microsoft's completed Metro Windows 8 interface in all its widescreen glory. The title both provides near-obsessive detail about the climate as well as the requisite live tile for an at-a-glance check. You also won't have to resort to the web to find out if it's raining in your neighborhood: a Bing Maps radar overlay shows if it's safe to leave the umbrella at home. The app is free to download, which makes it entirely too easy to check the weather through Windows instead of the window.

We just got more hands-on time with MSI's S20 Slidebook, which we first spotted at Computex 2012. This ultra light (2.3 pounds / 1kg) and thin (0.78-inches / 19.8mm) convertible Ultrabook runs Windows 8 (naturally) and packs an Intel Core i5 processor (Ivy Bridge), 4GB RAM and a 128GB mSATA SSD. In front, there's a gorgeous 11.6-inch 1920x1080-pixel IPS display with a 10-point capacitive multitouch layer plus an HD front-facing camera. A glossy white plastic bezel surrounds the glass panel and incorporates the MSI logo and the Windows button. The back cover is made of a silver magnesium alloy with matching plastic antenna covers for the built-in WiFi b/g/n, WiDi and Bluetooth 4.0 radios. Most of the ports are on the right edge along with the power / lock key and LED indicators -- this includes the power input, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a mini-HDMI output and a pair of USB 3.0 connectors. You'll find a gigabit Ethernet port on the left side plus an SD card reader, orientation lock button and volume rocker in back.

Of course, what sets the S20 apart is its ability to switch instantly from a tablet into a usable laptop. The screen slides up and tilts forward to reveal a chiclet keyboard with excellent key travel and decent spacing. You're not limited to any specific angle here -- the display is fully adjustable from flat to almost perpendicular with the keyboard. The sealed 3-cell 3900mAh battery is rated for 7 hours of continuous operation. We spent several minutes using the Slidebook and came away pretty impressed -- it's incredibly light for its size, the screen is bright and crisp, and the keyboard is comfortable. Even in prototype form, performance and build-quality are top-notch. MSI plans to make its convertible Ultrabook available late November for $1,099 through major US retailers both online and in stores. The company expects to sell other configurations in other markets as well. Take a look at our gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-169357%

It's not a finished, Windows 8-tuned Chrome build, but we'll take it. Much as Google has been catering to iOS users who don't have its search completely baked into the platform, there's now a dedicated Google Search app for the Metro-inclined. Ignore the desktop OS foundation; the Windows 8 app is much closer to the touchscreen-oriented mobile version with its oversized search box, service shortcuts, an emphasis on voice recognition and finger-friendly instant previews of the results. Although incorporating Google search on a Surface will undoubtedly rankle Microsoft's Bing team, the app could be the ticket for many tablet owners who live in Google's cloud without using its hardware.

As polished and functional as something might be in its preview days, a piece of work isn't done until it is done, and Microsoft's Office Web Apps have finally reached that point. Back in July, Redmond piped out preview versions of OWA and Office 365, focusing on adding tablet-friendly touch controls. Feedback from over 750,000 users and Windows 8's impending deadline helped shaped today's release, readying it for Microsoft's latest operating system, IE10 and iOS 6. A pair of posts on the Office Web Apps Blog detail the new face of Office, including an improved authoring experience, better support for multi-user collaboration, faster performance and more. Read it for yourself at the source link below, or just log into Skydrive and get to work.

Microsoft vowed that its Touch Mouse would get Windows 8 support in time for the software's big release day, and it's being very true to its word by posting the relevant update with less than a week to go. Mouse and Keyboard Center 2.0 saves time for those not graced with a touchscreen by introducing multi-touch swipes that bring up Windows 8's Charm bar, switch between active apps and invoke Semantic Zoom. Will the Touch Mouse update trick you into thinking you have a Surface? No, but it's certainly much easier on the wallet.

It's Microsoft's turn at quiet-before-the-storm quarterly results, and that's evident in the fiscal first quarter earnings it just dropped on our laps. The Redmond team is reporting $16.01 billion in revenue, but a more modest than usual $5.31 billion in profit over the summer -- while it's healthier than the Q4 loss stemming from the aQuantive write-off, it's not as impressive as the $7.2 billion profit from a year ago. While a tough PC market is partly to blame, it's equally hard to say that Microsoft couldn't have done better. There's a real chance that some of its customers have been holding back on purchases in anticipation of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 launches; it's already setting aside $1.36 billion in revenue for Windows and Office upgrades. The company is unquestionably preparing itself for a giant spike in demand once at least Windows 8 rolls around later this month, so we'd say that the real litmus test will be the results we get after the holidays.

Not to be outdone by Korean rival Samsung, Toshiba has become the latest manufacturer to announce it's now accepting pre-orders for its loaded repertoire of Windows 8 PCs. Naturally, this contains an array of options for all different types of budgets and preferences, including the Japanese company's Satellite S, P and L laptops or the U series of Ultrabooks, the Qosmio X875 for gamers and, for those who enjoy a more desktop-friendly setup, the LX815 and LX835 all-in-ones are also there for the taking. As expected, Toshiba will be shipping online pre-orders on October 26th, while folks who decide to go the brick-and-mortar route should be able to physically pick one up on that very same day. There's still a lot more where this came from, but you'll have to head over to Toshiba's site to see what else the outfit has to offer -- link to the store is just down below.

While most eyes have been focused on Microsoft finally slapping an official price tag on its upcoming Surface tablet this morning, let's not forget there other companies involved in the Windows 8 madness as well. Just a few moments ago, Samsung announced it's now ready to take your money in exchange for one of the many offerings inside its hefty PC repertoire, such as the ATIV Smart PC, Series 5 Ultra Touch, Series 7 Notebook, Series 9 Premium Ultrabook and the Series 5, Series 7 all-in-ones -- all of which will be available on that now-famed October 26th date. Naturally, pricing depends on what kind of setup gets added to your cart, but chances are you'll find one that's right for you amongst this extensive PC feast from the Korean electronics giant.

Just how confident is Microsoft that its Surface tablets will take off? To the tune of 3 to 5 million units shipped in the fall alone, according to the Wall Street Journal's supplier contacts. While that wouldn't be much when Apple already ships more than three times as many iPads, even discounting the supposed 10 million tiny iPads coming this fall, it would represent a strong start for a company that's only just dipping its toes into own-brand computing. Microsoft isn't confirming any numbers at this stage, but the large production volume might explain that Busby Berkeley-style TV ad -- you'd want a full song and dance routine if you had that many Surfaces to sell.

With Windows 8 Microsoft is pushing manufacturers away from a traditional BIOS to UEFI with Secure Boot. But that poses problems for alternative OSes like Linux, because UEFI requires any software have a signed certificate. The Linux Foundation has been looking for a solution and thinks that it may have one. The proposed work around is a little convoluted and surprisingly involves obtaining a Microsoft signature for a new barebones bootloader. This wouldn't actually boot Linux or any other OS actually. Instead, it would then start a second bootloader, the one associated with your OS of choice. It's a little messy, but it should mean that the signed bootloader will be a catch-all solution for any operating system. Of course, it could take a while for the Foundation to actually obtain a signature from Microsoft. So "Designed for Windows 8" systems might not be able to run Linux right away, but rest assured a solution is on the way.